The Yonkers Police Department and SPCA Westchester Humane Law Enforcement have arrested a 37-year-old Yonkers man following an investigation into the death of Kobe, a dog who was abandoned, tied to a park fence, and left to die.
On July 4, 2026, Police Officers from the Yonkers Police Department’s 3rd Precinct responded to a park in the area of 350 Hawthorne Avenue and began investigating an animal cruelty incident after Kobe was found deceased, still tied to the fence where he had been abandoned. Temperatures during that period had climbed into the high 90s, and Kobe was found without access to food or water. The investigation was continued by Detective Specialists Makena Raffa and Frank Cimadomo, working in conjunction with the SPCA of Westchester Humane Law Enforcement Unit, under the direction of Director Ernest Lungaro.
Through their investigation, Detectives identified Daniel Martinez, 37, of Yonkers, as the individual responsible for abandoning Kobe. Investigators determined that Martinez had taken Kobe from his residence the previous evening, tied him to the fence, and walked away. Martinez later acknowledged that he left Kobe there because he could no longer keep him. Investigators further determined that no arrangements had been made for another person to take possession of or care for Kobe.
On August 27, Detective Specialists Raffa and Cimadomo, members of the Yonkers Police Department’s 3rd Precinct, and Director Lungaro located Martinez and placed him under arrest. Martinez was charged with Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, a felony under New York State Agriculture and Markets Law.
Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza said, “Kobe was completely dependent on the people responsible for his care, and instead, he was left tied to a fence with no one coming back for him. Abandoning an animal without food, water, shelter, or care is not only cruel – under circumstances like these, it can be a serious crime. I applaud our skilled Detectives working as Field Intelligence Officers in our Crime Control Strategies Division for following up on these cases and giving them the attention and resources they deserve. The Yonkers Police Department will always work with our partners at the SPCA of Westchester Humane Law Enforcement Unit, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, and all neighboring law enforcement agencies to investigate allegations of animal cruelty and hold those responsible accountable.”
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace said, “Our four-legged friends rely on us to protect them, advocate for them, and keep them safe, and I am sickened by the heartless conduct the defendant is accused of in this case. Poor Kobe was allegedly abandoned by the very person he depended on for his care and left helpless, tied to a fence without food, water, or shelter, where he tragically died alone after being exposed to extreme heat and direct sunlight for about 15 hours. Kobe deserved better. Animal abuse and neglect will not be tolerated in our community, and I applaud the Yonkers Police Department for its diligent work alongside my office’s Animal Cruelty Coordinator to investigate this case. My office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to seek justice for innocent animals who cannot speak for themselves.”
This case is being prosecuted by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. Charges are accusations, and all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.